Girls Aloud: Off the Record
Encyclopedia
Girls Aloud: Off the Record is a six-part series recorded by Girls Aloud
for E4 that started on 11 April 2006 at 10:30pm. The show was produced by E4 and Monkey Kingdom Productions for Channel Four Television Corporation
.
The series follows Girls Aloud in the buildup to their 2006 Chemistry arena tour, from appearing on TV shows to filming the "Whole Lotta History
" video in Paris, promoting in Australia and New Zealand, doing promotional appearances in Ibiza and Greece, and going on an ambassadorial trip to China. The series also follows a selection of Girls Aloud's fans, including two Australian fans who spent all their money on tickets to Girls Aloud's Wembley show. The girls' personal lives were featured too - Ashley Cole
appears in the first episode.
Girls Aloud: Off the Record was repeated on Channel 4
as of 3 September 2006. A DVD of the series was released on 28 August 2006. It was originally planned to be released on 16 July (as stated on Amazon.co.uk and HMV.co.uk), but was delayed to September, as stated on the Girls Aloud official site.
spokesman said, "The series will reveal what it is like to be at the heart of a chart-topping group. It will also show the girls as they try to escape professional pressures and unwind with loved ones." The programme was part of a partnership between Channel Four Television Corporation
and Universal Music, created by E4 and Monkey Kingdom Productions for Channel Four. The series was produced by Vicky Crawley, while David Granger and Will Macdonald served as executive producers.
, Paul Morley
slated the show. He wrote, "the fraudulently titled Off the Record is just one long, gushing promotional push for the group, an attempt to prolong their fragile careers for just a few more months by pretending to analyse the exciting, stressful reality of being a girl in a group such as Girls Aloud attempting to transcend their manufactured roots. Sort of a smutty comedy, sort of a tragedy, sort of a gossipy, fake-provocative documentary, sort of a heavily censored electronic press kit, there's little sleaze, insight or emotional disintegration."
with Ashley
, who wasn't too excited about being dragged to a fashion show. At the show, Cheryl had to promote Girls Aloud to various radio and television channels, some of whom had never heard of the band. After the show, Cheryl and Ashley were driven to a restaurant for a Valentine's Day meal, followed by paparazzi. Girls Aloud's tour manager Drew let the paparazzi take pictures of Cheryl and Ashley getting into the restaurant, saying they'd rather be photographed before a meal than after.
The next part started with the girls on a promotional visit to Ibiza
, performing at a club night. They were then shown eating at a restaurant, where Sarah
and Kimberley
competed in a drinking game. Afterwards, the girls were shown relaxing by a pool in their bikinis at their private villa, when they spotted a photographer hiding in the bushes far away. The girls complained about this, but their manager Hillary Shaw said that part of the Girls Aloud package included being photographed in various situations, some of which not to their liking. Kimberley and Nadine
then talked about various encounters with the paparazzi.
The girls were then shown getting ready to perform at CD:UK
, with their TV plugger talking about how important television is in promoting Girls Aloud. Hillary then talked about how Girls Aloud were snubbed by the BRIT Awards
, leading to a segment where the Sugababes
, who were also on CD:UK, came to talk to Girls Aloud about the Brits situation. This led to a funny moment where Cheryl thought that Amelle Berrabah
's older sister was her mum. The cameras then went outside to talk to some of Girls Aloud's fans, and then it was shown how hours of preparation lead to just three minutes performing on TV.
", and all the work they have to do in order to make it a hit. First the girls were shown on a couple of TV shows, and then it was off to film the video in Paris
. On the set, Cheryl didn't understand the French film crew, and the girls found it a bit cold during filming. The record label then looked at the video, and seemed to be a bit concerned that Sarah didn't appear solo in the video until a couple of minutes into the video. The girls were then shown the finished video, and Nicola didn't like it, saying that she looked pale and didn't have enough makeup on. The girls then said that "Whole Lotta History" deserved to be a Top 3 hit [in the corrected words Sarah said that it deserves to be in the top f...ing 3 no matter what anybody says]
Next, the girls were doing a magazine shoot for GQ, showcasing themselves as glitzy showgirls. Cheryl and Kimberley weren't too sure about their outfits, and said that they weren't too comfortable in doing the shoot. Sarah was also concerned about pictures of her that made her look like she was naked. During the shoot, Sarah's friend and rumoured lover Calum Best
showed up to explain a story that had appeared in a newspaper that day about him saying bad things about Sarah. They then went away to discuss the story, and Sarah didn't look too happy coming back onto the shoot.
The girls were then shown doing a variety of TV shows, including GMTV
, Davina
and Holly & Stephen's Saturday Showdown
, looking very tired through all the TV shows they had to be on in such a short time. During these shows, the girls were kept up to date on the midweek position of "Whole Lotta History", which started out at #9 and rose up to #5. Backstage at the shows, the girls discussed their figures and other insecurities, and Nicola
took time out to get a facial. Backstage at Davina, the girls met Jordan and Peter Andre
- Sarah was delighted to see Jordan again.
At the end of the show, Nadine received a call from Radio 1
DJs Scott Mills
and Tim Westwood
, informing her that "Whole Lotta History" charted at #6, a position only Cheryl seemed to be satisfied with. The girls then started their rehearsals for the arena tour.
and Australia
, but Sarah was absent, having been to the hospital because of illness. However, when it came time to fly, Sarah was better and with the girls. Landing in New Zealand and recovering from the long flight, it was time for the first part of promotion. Polydor hired some local hair stylists and wardrobe people to style the girls for what they thought was a radio interview, but the staff turned up late. When they arrived, they ended up styling Nadine, Nicola and Sarah from the official wardrobe, with Cheryl having already gotten dressed in her own clothes (Kimberley had fallen ill). This led to a massive argument between Cheryl and the head stylist over the delay and the changed plans, which now included the girls going on TV instead of on the radio, with Cheryl fearing that she'd look out of place not dressed in wardrobe. This led to their first day of promotion running late.
The girls were next shown rehearsing for their first show of the tour, in a small theatre in Auckland
. The girls got annoyed that Polydor had sent them the wrong backing tape for "Sound of the Underground
", and there were more wardrobe problems. But when it was time for the show, and seeing the large crowd that had turned up, Girls Aloud were motivated to give a great performance for their New Zealand fans, who went away very impressed.
The next morning, it was time to fly to Sydney, Australia - and not too wisely, Cheryl had decided to launch an assault on Nadine's mini bar the night before. Having drunk three cocktails and wine, Cheryl was feeling incredibly ill, and had vomited up the toast she had eaten. After arriving at the hotel, she again vomited outside on the ground, with the group's manager, Hillary Shaw, comforting her. Nadine tells the cameras she is not responsible for Cheryl's discomfort, while Kimberly jokes that "she's holding her 100% responsible." Once in Sydney, Cheryl is recovered, and the girls continued their promotion, going on various TV and radio shows, including one that most of their hardcore Australian fans came to see. We then met their biggest Australian fans, Emily and Lang, who won a competition to meet the girls at a visit to Taronga Zoo
. At the zoo, the girls got close to the koalas and kangaroos, and Emily & Lang got close to the girls.
Relaxing by the pool after the promotion, Nadine got a phone call from Desperate Housewives
actor Jesse Metcalfe
, who invited her on a date. On the night Nadine was out with Jesse, the other girls went out to a bar in Sydney for a wild night of drinking, which finished early for Cheryl after the problems she had with drink a few days before. Kimberley, Nicola and Sarah continued their night of fun, partying without fear of being noticed, until Kimberley and Nicola went back to the hotel at 2am, leaving Sarah on her own to continue clubbing. The next morning, we found out that Nadine's date with Jesse went well and that he gave her a bouquet of flowers. The promotional tour was over with great success - Girls Aloud had entered the Top 30 of the Australian chart.
for two corporate shows that are major paydays for the group. After having performed at the first show, the second show wasn't for another couple of days, so Sarah decided to fly back home to see her family, and then fly back to Athens for the second show. The other girls were bored doing nothing in their hotel, so their tour manager Drew decided to take them up to the highest vantage point in Athens - without the girls knowing where they were going. Unfortunately for Cheryl, she happened to be wearing spiked heeled shoes, which were not ideal for climbing up tall hills. Cheryl proceeded to moan her way up the hill, complaining about every small detail. Kimberley wasn't too happy either, saying that an experience like that would normally thrill her, but she didn't feel bothered about it. After they got back down the hill using a cable-car, they suddenly figured that they didn't know how to get back to their hotel, so they had to cram into a regular taxi - not exactly glamorous travel for Girls Aloud. To make up for a miserable trip, Drew took the Girls and their dancers to a Greek bar and restaurant, where they got drunk and merry, although according to Drew, not as much as usual.
Returning home, Nicola drove back to her home town of Runcorn
to see her family. First she went to the local park to see her little brother Harry playing football for his local team, coached by their dad. Harry's team won the game, and Nicola in rather biased fashion gave the man of the match award to Harry, signing autographs for the other members of the team. Nicola then went home and cringed as she was shown old videos of her as a little girl. After that, she took Harry and her other younger brother Clayton to a restaurant for a day out, with Nicola talking about the importance of staying close to her family despite being famous, and valuing having a family to come back to when Girls Aloud finish.
The Girls then went to film the TV show Fifth Gear
at Silverstone
- where they got to race a car round the famous British Grand Prix
track to see who got the fastest time. The girls all had fun doing this, and while it wasn't revealed which girl recorded the fastest time (the laps will be broadcast on the 15 May 2006 episode of Fifth Gear), the experience did excite Sarah enough to ask the producers and track officials if she could do a lap in their Ferrari F355
. However, once she got in, she proceeded to smash the Ferrari right into a people carrier before she had even left the car park. Sarah then took off down the track unaware of exactly how much damage she had done. The other girls were in hysterics when Sarah came back and realised just what she had done.
, China
along with Mayor of London Ken Livingstone
to help promote London
in China. Upon arrival, Cheryl and Nicola already felt homesick, complaining about the rain, the culture and the Chinese toilets. Nadine and Sarah were more upbeat, looking forward to experiencing Shanghai as they visited a temple, unsure of exactly how to pray. After rehearsals for the big show the next night, the girls talked about how big it was that they were asked to represent London, showing how far they had come in four years. The next day, after a photocall with Ken Livingstone, Girls Aloud realised how popular the winner of Chinese Pop Idol was, with every fan at the venue there to see her, and hardly any of them knowing who Girls Aloud were. After the performance, Nadine felt it was the worst performance they had ever done, and the other girls weren't sure about it either, but both Livingstone and the other London officials loved the show, and felt that the project was a success.
The second half of the show focused on Kimberley and Cheryl going home - first we saw Kimberley returning to her home in London that she shares with her boyfriend Justin Scott, a singer with the boyband Triple 8
. Whilst Kimberley was in Shanghai, Justin had bought some new furniture for their outside roof space overlooking London, which he installed with Kimberley. Justin then talked about what Kimberley is like at home and in Girls Aloud, and Kimberley then talked about how she has two homes in London and Bradford
, and how she feels at home in both cities. Cheryl then went home to Newcastle-upon-Tyne for a flying visit with tour manager Drew. She only had five hours before she had to return to London, so first she spent a couple of hours with her dad and his partner. Her dad talked about how he doesn't feel like Cheryl on television is his daughter, but is definitely sure when Cheryl is home. After a meal there, Cheryl said her goodbyes and went to see her older brother and her two nephews, with a niece on the way. This visit wasn't as happy for Cheryl, as because she's been away from home so long, both her nephews didn't recognise her, and wouldn't hug or kiss her. To make matters worse, her brother's dog urinated on her top. Leaving her brother to go back to London, Cheryl talked about how hard it was to lead a family life when she spent so much time in London as part of her job, one of the many sacrifices she has to make being a part of Girls Aloud.
over the direction of the tour, but Nadine and Sarah didn't seem to be interested, and Cheryl mentioned how the meetings were holding up her wedding plans. An argument started between the girls, and filming was halted. Cheryl then spoke about how the other girls can sometimes get on her nerves when they're together for a very long period of time. The next day, the girls - minus Sarah - had a meeting with a costume designer, who talked Girls Aloud through some of the costumes they would be wearing on tour, but Nadine left the meeting halfway through. It turned out that Nadine and Sarah were homesick and wanted to see their mothers. Nadine's mum talked about how a psychic foresaw that Nadine would be a famous singer, and Sarah's mum talked about how Sarah was tired of going to nightclubs as a single girl, and wanted to settle down with a man.
After the meetings, Kimberley went back home to Bradford to see her family, helping her mum cook Sunday dinner complete with Yorkshire Puddings. Kimberley's big sister Sally talked about what it was like to have a major celebrity for a sister, and then the Walsh siblings (Kimberley, Sally, little sister Amy and brother Adam) all went out to Leeds for the night. Sally talked about how she feels protective of Kimberley when they're out in clubs, even though Kimberley was happy enough to mix with regular clubbers, having photos taken and signing autographs for fans. However, the bad side of mixing with regular people was also shown, with drunk people trying to get in her way, and other people shouting at her that "Girls Aloud are shite." Kimberley then talked about how to tolerate people who don't like the band. Cheryl was then shown having lunch with her fiancé Ashley Cole, talking about their wedding and future plans. They were then shown walking their dogs through a park, and Cheryl talked about how she saw Girls Aloud going for a few more years yet, but didn't imagine herself still on stage singing "Love Machine
" in her 30s.
Rehearsals for the tour began, however, Nadine was away in New York City, and couldn't get back in time. The girls and their group of dancers were taken through the first two dance routines - for "Biology
" and "Waiting" - by their choreographer. The girls were very excited about the rehearsals, realising that going on tour is their biggest dream, and their favourite thing about being in Girls Aloud, although they seemed to be mucking about during the rehearsals. The next day, Nadine finally showed up for her first rehearsal, where the girls learnt more routines, including one for a cover of the Kaiser Chiefs
song "I Predict a Riot
".
At the end of the show, the girls talked about what it was like to film the series. Nadine didn't take too kindly to the experience, saying that she never liked the idea of cameras following her around - which is understandable as Nadine had previously stated she is a very private person. She believed the group was incorrectly portrayed in a negative light in some parts the series. Cheryl thought that she could learn a few lessons about herself from watching the series, and Ashley seemed to enjoy it too. Kimberley, Nicola and Sarah all enjoyed the series, saying that they couldn't wait for it to come out on DVD so that they could show any future children what life was like for them in Britain's biggest girl band, Girls Aloud.
. It began airing on the station in 2009.
Girls Aloud
Girls Aloud are a British and Irish pop girl group based in London. They were created through the ITV1 talent show Popstars The Rivals in 2002. The group consists of Cheryl Cole , Nadine Coyle, Sarah Harding, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh. They are signed to Fascination Records, a Polydor...
for E4 that started on 11 April 2006 at 10:30pm. The show was produced by E4 and Monkey Kingdom Productions for Channel Four Television Corporation
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
.
The series follows Girls Aloud in the buildup to their 2006 Chemistry arena tour, from appearing on TV shows to filming the "Whole Lotta History
Whole Lotta History
"Whole Lotta History" is a song by British all-female pop group Girls Aloud, taken from their third studio album Chemistry . The song was written by Miranda Cooper, Brian Higgins and his production team Xenomania, and produced by Higgins and Xenomania. Described as "a lush ballad", "Whole Lotta...
" video in Paris, promoting in Australia and New Zealand, doing promotional appearances in Ibiza and Greece, and going on an ambassadorial trip to China. The series also follows a selection of Girls Aloud's fans, including two Australian fans who spent all their money on tickets to Girls Aloud's Wembley show. The girls' personal lives were featured too - Ashley Cole
Ashley Cole
Ashley Cole is an Barbadian-English professional footballer who plays for Chelsea and the England national team. He plays as a left-back and has been named one of the best in the world....
appears in the first episode.
Girls Aloud: Off the Record was repeated on Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
as of 3 September 2006. A DVD of the series was released on 28 August 2006. It was originally planned to be released on 16 July (as stated on Amazon.co.uk and HMV.co.uk), but was delayed to September, as stated on the Girls Aloud official site.
Background and production
In February 2009, it was announced that Girls Aloud were already in the process of filming a reality show. A Channel 4Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
spokesman said, "The series will reveal what it is like to be at the heart of a chart-topping group. It will also show the girls as they try to escape professional pressures and unwind with loved ones." The programme was part of a partnership between Channel Four Television Corporation
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
and Universal Music, created by E4 and Monkey Kingdom Productions for Channel Four. The series was produced by Vicky Crawley, while David Granger and Will Macdonald served as executive producers.
Cast
- Cheryl Tweedy
- Nadine CoyleNadine CoyleNadine Coyle is an Irish singer, songwriter, actress, and model who rose to fame in the early 2000s as a member of the band Six before becoming a member of successful girl-group Girls Aloud. The group amassed a joint fortune of £25 million by May 2009...
- Sarah HardingSarah HardingSarah Nicole Harding is an English singer-songwriter, actress and model best known for being a member of the pop group Girls Aloud, formed through ITV's reality television programme Popstars: The Rivals...
- Nicola RobertsNicola RobertsNicola Maria Roberts is a British recording artist and entrepreneur. In 2002 Roberts auditioned for the reality televisions series and competition Popstars The Rivals which saw her finish in the final line-up of a girl group named Girls Aloud...
- Kimberley WalshKimberley WalshKimberley Jane Walsh is an English singer-songwriter, dancer, model, television presenter and actress. She is best known for being a member of girl group Girls Aloud, formed through ITV's reality television programme Popstars: The Rivals...
- Paul Nichols (narrator)
Critical reception
Writing or The ObserverThe Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
, Paul Morley
Paul Morley
Paul Morley is an English journalist, who wrote for the New Musical Express from 1977 to 1983, during one of its most successful periods, and has since written for a wide range of publications...
slated the show. He wrote, "the fraudulently titled Off the Record is just one long, gushing promotional push for the group, an attempt to prolong their fragile careers for just a few more months by pretending to analyse the exciting, stressful reality of being a girl in a group such as Girls Aloud attempting to transcend their manufactured roots. Sort of a smutty comedy, sort of a tragedy, sort of a gossipy, fake-provocative documentary, sort of a heavily censored electronic press kit, there's little sleaze, insight or emotional disintegration."
Episode 1: 11 April 2006
The programme started with Cheryl going shopping at Bluewater with her mother Joan, with Cheryl talking about her arrest for assault in 2003, and the lessons she learned from the incident. Cheryl was then shown ready to go out to Julien Macdonald's show at London Fashion WeekLondon Fashion Week
London Fashion Week is an apparel trade show held in London, England twice each year, in February and September. It is one of the "Big Four" fashion weeks, along with New York Fashion Week, Milan Fashion Week and Paris Fashion Week.-Organization:...
with Ashley
Ashley Cole
Ashley Cole is an Barbadian-English professional footballer who plays for Chelsea and the England national team. He plays as a left-back and has been named one of the best in the world....
, who wasn't too excited about being dragged to a fashion show. At the show, Cheryl had to promote Girls Aloud to various radio and television channels, some of whom had never heard of the band. After the show, Cheryl and Ashley were driven to a restaurant for a Valentine's Day meal, followed by paparazzi. Girls Aloud's tour manager Drew let the paparazzi take pictures of Cheryl and Ashley getting into the restaurant, saying they'd rather be photographed before a meal than after.
The next part started with the girls on a promotional visit to Ibiza
Ibiza
Ibiza or Eivissa is a Spanish island in the Mediterranean Sea 79 km off the coast of the city of Valencia in Spain. It is the third largest of the Balearic Islands, an autonomous community of Spain. With Formentera, it is one of the two Pine Islands or Pityuses. Its largest cities are Ibiza...
, performing at a club night. They were then shown eating at a restaurant, where Sarah
Sarah Harding
Sarah Nicole Harding is an English singer-songwriter, actress and model best known for being a member of the pop group Girls Aloud, formed through ITV's reality television programme Popstars: The Rivals...
and Kimberley
Kimberley Walsh
Kimberley Jane Walsh is an English singer-songwriter, dancer, model, television presenter and actress. She is best known for being a member of girl group Girls Aloud, formed through ITV's reality television programme Popstars: The Rivals...
competed in a drinking game. Afterwards, the girls were shown relaxing by a pool in their bikinis at their private villa, when they spotted a photographer hiding in the bushes far away. The girls complained about this, but their manager Hillary Shaw said that part of the Girls Aloud package included being photographed in various situations, some of which not to their liking. Kimberley and Nadine
Nadine Coyle
Nadine Coyle is an Irish singer, songwriter, actress, and model who rose to fame in the early 2000s as a member of the band Six before becoming a member of successful girl-group Girls Aloud. The group amassed a joint fortune of £25 million by May 2009...
then talked about various encounters with the paparazzi.
The girls were then shown getting ready to perform at CD:UK
CD:UK
CD:UK was a British music television programme. Originally run in conjunction with SMTV Live, the programme was first aired on ITV on 29 August 1998 to rival the BBC's Live & Kicking and was the replacement for The Chart Show, which had been airing on the network for nine and a half years.In...
, with their TV plugger talking about how important television is in promoting Girls Aloud. Hillary then talked about how Girls Aloud were snubbed by the BRIT Awards
Brit Awards
The Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain" or "Britannia", but subsequently became a backronym for British Record Industry Trust...
, leading to a segment where the Sugababes
Sugababes
The Sugababes are an English pop girl group based in London, consisting of members Heidi Range, Amelle Berrabah and Jade Ewen. The Sugababes were formed in 1998 with founding members Siobhán Donaghy, Mutya Buena and Keisha Buchanan. Their debut album, One Touch, was released in 2000 under London...
, who were also on CD:UK, came to talk to Girls Aloud about the Brits situation. This led to a funny moment where Cheryl thought that Amelle Berrabah
Amelle Berrabah
Amelle Berrabah is a British singer, songwriter and member of pop girl group the Sugababes. Since replacing founding member Mutya Buena in the group in December 2005, Berrabah has attained two UK number one singles, "About You Now" and "Walk This Way", as well as a number one album, Change...
's older sister was her mum. The cameras then went outside to talk to some of Girls Aloud's fans, and then it was shown how hours of preparation lead to just three minutes performing on TV.
- Guest stars: Amelle BerrabahAmelle BerrabahAmelle Berrabah is a British singer, songwriter and member of pop girl group the Sugababes. Since replacing founding member Mutya Buena in the group in December 2005, Berrabah has attained two UK number one singles, "About You Now" and "Walk This Way", as well as a number one album, Change...
, Samiya Berrabah, Zakiya Berrabah, Keisha BuchananKeisha BuchananKeisha Kerreece Fayeanne Buchanan is an English singer-songwriter and was a founding member of the BRIT Award-winning girl group the Sugababes. With the Sugababes, Buchanan had six number one singles and two number one studio albums, making the Sugababes one of the most successful British pop acts...
, Ashley ColeAshley ColeAshley Cole is an Barbadian-English professional footballer who plays for Chelsea and the England national team. He plays as a left-back and has been named one of the best in the world....
, Hillary Shaw
Episode 2: 18 April 2006
This episode was mostly about the promotion of Girls Aloud's 12th single "Whole Lotta HistoryWhole Lotta History
"Whole Lotta History" is a song by British all-female pop group Girls Aloud, taken from their third studio album Chemistry . The song was written by Miranda Cooper, Brian Higgins and his production team Xenomania, and produced by Higgins and Xenomania. Described as "a lush ballad", "Whole Lotta...
", and all the work they have to do in order to make it a hit. First the girls were shown on a couple of TV shows, and then it was off to film the video in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. On the set, Cheryl didn't understand the French film crew, and the girls found it a bit cold during filming. The record label then looked at the video, and seemed to be a bit concerned that Sarah didn't appear solo in the video until a couple of minutes into the video. The girls were then shown the finished video, and Nicola didn't like it, saying that she looked pale and didn't have enough makeup on. The girls then said that "Whole Lotta History" deserved to be a Top 3 hit [in the corrected words Sarah said that it deserves to be in the top f...ing 3 no matter what anybody says]
Next, the girls were doing a magazine shoot for GQ, showcasing themselves as glitzy showgirls. Cheryl and Kimberley weren't too sure about their outfits, and said that they weren't too comfortable in doing the shoot. Sarah was also concerned about pictures of her that made her look like she was naked. During the shoot, Sarah's friend and rumoured lover Calum Best
Calum Best
Calum Milan Best is a British-American former fashion model turned celebrity, and television personality.-Career:...
showed up to explain a story that had appeared in a newspaper that day about him saying bad things about Sarah. They then went away to discuss the story, and Sarah didn't look too happy coming back onto the shoot.
The girls were then shown doing a variety of TV shows, including GMTV
GMTV
GMTV was the national Channel 3 breakfast television contractor, broadcasting in the United Kingdom from 1 January 1993 to 3 September 2010. It became a wholly owned subsidiary of ITV plc. in November 2009. Shortly after, ITV plc announced the programme would end...
, Davina
Davina
Davina is an American R&B vocalist and musician. Davina grew up in Detroit, ran her own dance music record label, and worked as a recording engineer before signing with Loud Records. Her 1997 single "So Good" became the theme song for the film Hoodlum. Raekwon of Wu-Tang Clan and Xzibit each...
and Holly & Stephen's Saturday Showdown
Holly & Stephen's Saturday Showdown
The Ministry of Mayhem was a CITV show which broadcast on the ITV Network from January 2004. As of January 2006, the onscreen name was Holly & Stephen's Saturday Showdown. It was the last regular studio-based Saturday morning show on ITV....
, looking very tired through all the TV shows they had to be on in such a short time. During these shows, the girls were kept up to date on the midweek position of "Whole Lotta History", which started out at #9 and rose up to #5. Backstage at the shows, the girls discussed their figures and other insecurities, and Nicola
Nicola Roberts
Nicola Maria Roberts is a British recording artist and entrepreneur. In 2002 Roberts auditioned for the reality televisions series and competition Popstars The Rivals which saw her finish in the final line-up of a girl group named Girls Aloud...
took time out to get a facial. Backstage at Davina, the girls met Jordan and Peter Andre
Peter André
Peter James Andrea , better known by the stage name as Peter Andre, is an English-born Australian musician, singer-songwriter, television personality and businessman. As a recording artist, he has achieving four top 10 UK albums and ten top 10 singles.-Early life:Andre was born at Northwick Park...
- Sarah was delighted to see Jordan again.
At the end of the show, Nadine received a call from Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
DJs Scott Mills
Scott Mills
Scott Robert Mills is a British radio DJ, television presenter and occasional actor, best known for presenting The Scott Mills Show on BBC Radio 1...
and Tim Westwood
Tim Westwood
Timothy Westwood is an English DJ and presenter of radio and television. He also presents the UK version of the MTV show Pimp My Ride...
, informing her that "Whole Lotta History" charted at #6, a position only Cheryl seemed to be satisfied with. The girls then started their rehearsals for the arena tour.
- Guest stars: Calum BestCalum BestCalum Milan Best is a British-American former fashion model turned celebrity, and television personality.-Career:...
Episode 3: 25 April 2006
Hillary got the girls together to go through their schedule for the promotional tour of New ZealandNew Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, but Sarah was absent, having been to the hospital because of illness. However, when it came time to fly, Sarah was better and with the girls. Landing in New Zealand and recovering from the long flight, it was time for the first part of promotion. Polydor hired some local hair stylists and wardrobe people to style the girls for what they thought was a radio interview, but the staff turned up late. When they arrived, they ended up styling Nadine, Nicola and Sarah from the official wardrobe, with Cheryl having already gotten dressed in her own clothes (Kimberley had fallen ill). This led to a massive argument between Cheryl and the head stylist over the delay and the changed plans, which now included the girls going on TV instead of on the radio, with Cheryl fearing that she'd look out of place not dressed in wardrobe. This led to their first day of promotion running late.
The girls were next shown rehearsing for their first show of the tour, in a small theatre in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
. The girls got annoyed that Polydor had sent them the wrong backing tape for "Sound of the Underground
Sound of the Underground (song)
"Sound of the Underground" is the debut single by British all-female pop group Girls Aloud, later featured on their debut album of the same name. The song was written by Miranda Cooper, Brian Higgins, and Niara Scarlett, and produced by Higgins and his production team Xenomania...
", and there were more wardrobe problems. But when it was time for the show, and seeing the large crowd that had turned up, Girls Aloud were motivated to give a great performance for their New Zealand fans, who went away very impressed.
The next morning, it was time to fly to Sydney, Australia - and not too wisely, Cheryl had decided to launch an assault on Nadine's mini bar the night before. Having drunk three cocktails and wine, Cheryl was feeling incredibly ill, and had vomited up the toast she had eaten. After arriving at the hotel, she again vomited outside on the ground, with the group's manager, Hillary Shaw, comforting her. Nadine tells the cameras she is not responsible for Cheryl's discomfort, while Kimberly jokes that "she's holding her 100% responsible." Once in Sydney, Cheryl is recovered, and the girls continued their promotion, going on various TV and radio shows, including one that most of their hardcore Australian fans came to see. We then met their biggest Australian fans, Emily and Lang, who won a competition to meet the girls at a visit to Taronga Zoo
Taronga Zoo
Taronga Zoo is the city zoo of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Officially opened on 7 October 1916, it is located on the shores of Sydney Harbour in the suburb of Mosman...
. At the zoo, the girls got close to the koalas and kangaroos, and Emily & Lang got close to the girls.
Relaxing by the pool after the promotion, Nadine got a phone call from Desperate Housewives
Desperate Housewives
Desperate Housewives is an American television comedy-drama series created by Marc Cherry and produced by ABC Studios and Cherry Productions. Executive producer Cherry serves as Showrunner. Other executive producers since the fourth season include Marc Cherry, Bob Daily, George W...
actor Jesse Metcalfe
Jesse Metcalfe
Jesse Eden Metcalfe is an American actor, best known for his role on Desperate Housewives as John Rowland. He is also notable for his portrayal of Miguel Lopez-Fitzgerald on the soap opera Passions and his starring role as the title character in the movie John Tucker Must Die.-Early life:Metcalfe...
, who invited her on a date. On the night Nadine was out with Jesse, the other girls went out to a bar in Sydney for a wild night of drinking, which finished early for Cheryl after the problems she had with drink a few days before. Kimberley, Nicola and Sarah continued their night of fun, partying without fear of being noticed, until Kimberley and Nicola went back to the hotel at 2am, leaving Sarah on her own to continue clubbing. The next morning, we found out that Nadine's date with Jesse went well and that he gave her a bouquet of flowers. The promotional tour was over with great success - Girls Aloud had entered the Top 30 of the Australian chart.
- Guest stars: Jesse MetcalfeJesse MetcalfeJesse Eden Metcalfe is an American actor, best known for his role on Desperate Housewives as John Rowland. He is also notable for his portrayal of Miguel Lopez-Fitzgerald on the soap opera Passions and his starring role as the title character in the movie John Tucker Must Die.-Early life:Metcalfe...
(scenes deleted)
Episode 4: 2 May 2006
The Girls were in AthensAthens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
for two corporate shows that are major paydays for the group. After having performed at the first show, the second show wasn't for another couple of days, so Sarah decided to fly back home to see her family, and then fly back to Athens for the second show. The other girls were bored doing nothing in their hotel, so their tour manager Drew decided to take them up to the highest vantage point in Athens - without the girls knowing where they were going. Unfortunately for Cheryl, she happened to be wearing spiked heeled shoes, which were not ideal for climbing up tall hills. Cheryl proceeded to moan her way up the hill, complaining about every small detail. Kimberley wasn't too happy either, saying that an experience like that would normally thrill her, but she didn't feel bothered about it. After they got back down the hill using a cable-car, they suddenly figured that they didn't know how to get back to their hotel, so they had to cram into a regular taxi - not exactly glamorous travel for Girls Aloud. To make up for a miserable trip, Drew took the Girls and their dancers to a Greek bar and restaurant, where they got drunk and merry, although according to Drew, not as much as usual.
Returning home, Nicola drove back to her home town of Runcorn
Runcorn
Runcorn is an industrial town and cargo port within the borough of Halton in the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. In 2009, its population was estimated to be 61,500. The town is on the southern bank of the River Mersey where the estuary narrows to form Runcorn Gap. Directly to the north...
to see her family. First she went to the local park to see her little brother Harry playing football for his local team, coached by their dad. Harry's team won the game, and Nicola in rather biased fashion gave the man of the match award to Harry, signing autographs for the other members of the team. Nicola then went home and cringed as she was shown old videos of her as a little girl. After that, she took Harry and her other younger brother Clayton to a restaurant for a day out, with Nicola talking about the importance of staying close to her family despite being famous, and valuing having a family to come back to when Girls Aloud finish.
The Girls then went to film the TV show Fifth Gear
Fifth Gear
Fifth Gear is a motoring television magazine show from the United Kingdom. Originally shown on Channel 5, the show is currently presented by Tiff Needell, Vicki Butler-Henderson, Jason Plato, Jonny Smith and Ben Collins...
at Silverstone
Silverstone Circuit
Silverstone Circuit is an English motor racing circuit next to the Northamptonshire villages of Silverstone and Whittlebury. The circuit straddles the Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire border, with the current main circuit entry on the Buckinghamshire side...
- where they got to race a car round the famous British Grand Prix
British Grand Prix
The British Grand Prix is a race in the calendar of the FIA Formula One World Championship. It is currently held at the Silverstone Circuit near the village of Silverstone in Northamptonshire...
track to see who got the fastest time. The girls all had fun doing this, and while it wasn't revealed which girl recorded the fastest time (the laps will be broadcast on the 15 May 2006 episode of Fifth Gear), the experience did excite Sarah enough to ask the producers and track officials if she could do a lap in their Ferrari F355
Ferrari F355
The Ferrari F355 is a sports car built by Ferrari from May 1994 to 1999. It is an evolution of the Ferrari 348 and was replaced by the Ferrari 360. It is a mid-engined, rear wheel drive V8-powered 2-seat coupe...
. However, once she got in, she proceeded to smash the Ferrari right into a people carrier before she had even left the car park. Sarah then took off down the track unaware of exactly how much damage she had done. The other girls were in hysterics when Sarah came back and realised just what she had done.
Episode 5: 9 May 2006
The girls flew to ShanghaiShanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
along with Mayor of London Ken Livingstone
Ken Livingstone
Kenneth Robert "Ken" Livingstone is an English politician who is currently a member of the centrist to centre-left Labour Party...
to help promote London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in China. Upon arrival, Cheryl and Nicola already felt homesick, complaining about the rain, the culture and the Chinese toilets. Nadine and Sarah were more upbeat, looking forward to experiencing Shanghai as they visited a temple, unsure of exactly how to pray. After rehearsals for the big show the next night, the girls talked about how big it was that they were asked to represent London, showing how far they had come in four years. The next day, after a photocall with Ken Livingstone, Girls Aloud realised how popular the winner of Chinese Pop Idol was, with every fan at the venue there to see her, and hardly any of them knowing who Girls Aloud were. After the performance, Nadine felt it was the worst performance they had ever done, and the other girls weren't sure about it either, but both Livingstone and the other London officials loved the show, and felt that the project was a success.
The second half of the show focused on Kimberley and Cheryl going home - first we saw Kimberley returning to her home in London that she shares with her boyfriend Justin Scott, a singer with the boyband Triple 8
Triple 8
Triple 8 were a five-piece hip-hop style British boyband, who were signed to Polydor Records. The group were promoted as the British equivalent of 'N Sync, and rivals to manufactured boy bands, such as Westlife and A1. The group had two successful singles: "Knockout" and "Give Me A Reason", which...
. Whilst Kimberley was in Shanghai, Justin had bought some new furniture for their outside roof space overlooking London, which he installed with Kimberley. Justin then talked about what Kimberley is like at home and in Girls Aloud, and Kimberley then talked about how she has two homes in London and Bradford
Bradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
, and how she feels at home in both cities. Cheryl then went home to Newcastle-upon-Tyne for a flying visit with tour manager Drew. She only had five hours before she had to return to London, so first she spent a couple of hours with her dad and his partner. Her dad talked about how he doesn't feel like Cheryl on television is his daughter, but is definitely sure when Cheryl is home. After a meal there, Cheryl said her goodbyes and went to see her older brother and her two nephews, with a niece on the way. This visit wasn't as happy for Cheryl, as because she's been away from home so long, both her nephews didn't recognise her, and wouldn't hug or kiss her. To make matters worse, her brother's dog urinated on her top. Leaving her brother to go back to London, Cheryl talked about how hard it was to lead a family life when she spent so much time in London as part of her job, one of the many sacrifices she has to make being a part of Girls Aloud.
Episode 6: 16 May 2006
The final episode focused on the buildup to Girls Aloud's Chemistry Tour, which was a week away. The girls had a meeting at Polydor RecordsPolydor Records
Polydor is a record label owned by Universal Music Group, headquartered in the United Kingdom.-Beginnings:Polydor was originally an independent branch of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. Its name was first used as an export label in 1924, the British and German branches of the Gramophone...
over the direction of the tour, but Nadine and Sarah didn't seem to be interested, and Cheryl mentioned how the meetings were holding up her wedding plans. An argument started between the girls, and filming was halted. Cheryl then spoke about how the other girls can sometimes get on her nerves when they're together for a very long period of time. The next day, the girls - minus Sarah - had a meeting with a costume designer, who talked Girls Aloud through some of the costumes they would be wearing on tour, but Nadine left the meeting halfway through. It turned out that Nadine and Sarah were homesick and wanted to see their mothers. Nadine's mum talked about how a psychic foresaw that Nadine would be a famous singer, and Sarah's mum talked about how Sarah was tired of going to nightclubs as a single girl, and wanted to settle down with a man.
After the meetings, Kimberley went back home to Bradford to see her family, helping her mum cook Sunday dinner complete with Yorkshire Puddings. Kimberley's big sister Sally talked about what it was like to have a major celebrity for a sister, and then the Walsh siblings (Kimberley, Sally, little sister Amy and brother Adam) all went out to Leeds for the night. Sally talked about how she feels protective of Kimberley when they're out in clubs, even though Kimberley was happy enough to mix with regular clubbers, having photos taken and signing autographs for fans. However, the bad side of mixing with regular people was also shown, with drunk people trying to get in her way, and other people shouting at her that "Girls Aloud are shite." Kimberley then talked about how to tolerate people who don't like the band. Cheryl was then shown having lunch with her fiancé Ashley Cole, talking about their wedding and future plans. They were then shown walking their dogs through a park, and Cheryl talked about how she saw Girls Aloud going for a few more years yet, but didn't imagine herself still on stage singing "Love Machine
Love Machine (Girls Aloud song)
"Love Machine" is a song performed by British all-female pop group Girls Aloud, taken from their second studio album What Will the Neighbours Say? . The song was written by Miranda Cooper, Brian Higgins and his production team Xenomania, and produced by Higgins and Xenomania...
" in her 30s.
Rehearsals for the tour began, however, Nadine was away in New York City, and couldn't get back in time. The girls and their group of dancers were taken through the first two dance routines - for "Biology
Biology (song)
"Biology" is a song performed by British all-female pop group Girls Aloud, taken from their third studio album Chemistry . The song was written by Miranda Cooper, Brian Higgins and his production team Xenomania, and produced by Higgins and Xenomania. Composed of distinct sections, it avoids the...
" and "Waiting" - by their choreographer. The girls were very excited about the rehearsals, realising that going on tour is their biggest dream, and their favourite thing about being in Girls Aloud, although they seemed to be mucking about during the rehearsals. The next day, Nadine finally showed up for her first rehearsal, where the girls learnt more routines, including one for a cover of the Kaiser Chiefs
Kaiser Chiefs
Kaiser Chiefs are an English indie rock band from Leeds who formed in 1996. They were named after the South African football club Kaizer Chiefs....
song "I Predict a Riot
I Predict a Riot
"I Predict a Riot" is a song by Kaiser Chiefs, appearing on their debut album Employment. It was originally released as their second single on 1 November 2004, and was the band's first release on the B-Unique label. It entered at #22 on the UK Singles Chart, a move which started the band's rise to...
".
At the end of the show, the girls talked about what it was like to film the series. Nadine didn't take too kindly to the experience, saying that she never liked the idea of cameras following her around - which is understandable as Nadine had previously stated she is a very private person. She believed the group was incorrectly portrayed in a negative light in some parts the series. Cheryl thought that she could learn a few lessons about herself from watching the series, and Ashley seemed to enjoy it too. Kimberley, Nicola and Sarah all enjoyed the series, saying that they couldn't wait for it to come out on DVD so that they could show any future children what life was like for them in Britain's biggest girl band, Girls Aloud.
- Guest stars: Ashley ColeAshley ColeAshley Cole is an Barbadian-English professional footballer who plays for Chelsea and the England national team. He plays as a left-back and has been named one of the best in the world....
Repeats
The show sometimes runs repeats on multi-channel 4Music4Music
4Music is a music and entertainment channel in the United Kingdom and available on some digital television providers in the Republic of Ireland - its web component can be found at with its own and pages. It is the only channel within the Box Television Network to be branded under Channel 4 and...
. It began airing on the station in 2009.